Radio cabinet



Jam 12, 1943 A. AQ scRlvEN E1' Ar. 2,307,807'

RADIO CABINET Filed July 3, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 12,1943. A. A. scalvEN 'AE1-AL 2,307,807

RADIO CABINET 'Filed July 5, 19.39 .2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 12, 1943 RADIO CABINET Alonson A. Scriven, Eggertvsille, and Max E. Robbins, Kenmore, N.

Y., assignors to Sears, Roebuck and Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New York Application July 3, 1939, Serial No.v 282,744 2 Claims. y(Cl. S12-7) This invention relates to radio receivers and is concerned more particularly with an improved cabinet construction therefor.

It is an object of my invention to provide a radio receiver cabinet and chassis capable of expeditious assembly and disassembly.

It is another object of the invention to provide a receiver cabinet of the character referred to and a movable dial therefor affording clearance therebetween for the escape of heat from the interior of the receiver.

It is a further object to provide a receiver cabinet body and dial which are mutually reinforcll'lg.

Another object is to provide a receiver cabinet including a removable control button which is so mounted as to be almost fully concealed.

Another object is to provide an improved closure and closure mounting for a receiver cabinet.

It is another object to provide a cabinet including a detachable control button which cannot accidentally be displaced.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

The invention will be better understood upon reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front perspective View of a radio receiver cabinet constructed in accordance with one form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view of Fig. l, taken as indicated in Fig. 3. y

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the cabinet.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the cabinet, broken away and showing details in section.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly in section and partly in elevation, taken as indicated by the line 5-5 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken as indicated by the line 6--6 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of the front of the device, showing how a disc may be employed to apply and remove a dial retainer.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the cabinet.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is indicated generally at I0, for exemplary purposes, a receiver cabinet comprising a body or casing II, a dial I2, a switch and volume or other control button I3, a rear cover I4, all of any suitable material such as phenolic condensation product, and a chassis I5.

The chassis provides the usual or other tuning shaft I8, preferably metallic, and thebodyll may be provided with an opening I9 to receiver station selector push buttons extendingfrom the chassis. Y Y be anged inward as at 23 and may have a relatively large opening 24 through which a reduced threaded end 25 of the shaft I8 extends forwardly, said reduced end being preferably provided with a keyway 26. AThe front end of the bodyl II may be provided at its outer periphery with a forwardly extending flange 29, providing with the inner flange 23 an annular recess 30.

The dial I2 may have strengthening ribs 33 and is preferably of concavo-convex formation with its convex face forward, and, if non-metallic, preferably has a rearwardly extending hub in which a preferably metallic bushing 3E may be fastened adhesively or otherwise. The bushing preferably has a keyway corresponding'to and adapted to register with the keyway 26 to` receive a preferably removable key 38'so that rotation of the dial is transmitted to the shaft I8. A cap nut 40, which may be provided with a threaded preferably metallic bushing 4I adapted to receive the threadedshaft end'25, serves to: complete the assembly of the dial I2 with the shaft i8 and cabinet body II, suitable washerr means, indicated generally at 43, serving to prevent accidental loosening of the capiti). When `the cap is screwed home, its outer face is substantially flush with the adjacent face of the dialv I2. The cap 4I) may be provided with a slotf46 to receive a screw driver or the like, but if the cap is made of non-metallic material it is preferable to use a non-metallic relatively thin Vstiff plate such as that shown at 46', made of pressed paper, fiber or other suitable material, preferably in disc form so that any part of its periphery may be used.

'I'he dial I2 has an annular rearwardly extending rim50 formed to fit inthe annular recess 30 and adjacent the body flange 29 so as to be prof tected from injury by the flange 29 and cooperatetherewith in mutualreinforcement and for the additional reason that the appearance of the assembly is thereby improved. Clearance is afforded between the dial I2 and the body II to enable heat'to escape from the interior of the body. The front opening 24 in the casing II is made relatively large not only for-the escape of heat from the interior of the body but also to afford easy access'to the front of the chassis for adjustment or inspection from the outside of the casing when the dial I2 is withdrawn. y

An electric energy switch indicated generally at 55, condenser or other control means may have -a forwardly extending shaft 56 cut away to pro-l The front end of the bodyv` Il.r mayY The knob or button I3 is preferably removably mounted on the extension 51, and to this end is provided with an axial opening 60 of somewhat greater diameter than the shaft 56 and supporting a spring 6| having a round portion for engagement with the curved periphery of the shaft end 51 and a chordal portion 64 for embracing the at side of said extension. A niche 65 communicating With the opening 60 receives an anchoring terminal 66 on the spring. It is thus evident that rotation of the button 59 is communicated to the shaft 56 to turnthe switch on and off or turn the condenser or other-control means, as the case may be. The spring 6| has a depression 68 receiving a complemental projection on the button to prevent accidental removal of the spring from the button. The spring frictionally engages the shaft extension 51 so that the button may be slipped on and oifrthe samethrough an opening 10 provided in the body flange 23 for that purpose.

,It will ,be` observed that the dial I2 overlies a substantial and preferably a major portion of the Lbutton YI3 so as to substantially close the opening 41li or at least to such` an extent as positively to prevent accidental separation of the button from the shaft 56 and preclude unsightlinesswhile the periphery of the button projects through a peripheral continuation of the opening 10 in the lateral wall of the body I I as shown at 12, to be manipulated by a thumb or finger. The button I3 may be readily molded and may bervfluted as at 13 or otherwise suitably knurled or roughened to facilitate manipulation, and may 4have a relatively deep notch 14 adapted to be exposed to provide a grip facilitating on and off switching movements. The switch indicated generally at 55 may include a rheostat and accordipgly the button I3 may be employed to control volume as well as the switch.

Thedial `I2 may be provided with suitable indicia 15 cooperating with a suitable mark 16 on thebody I I ,for station indicating purposes, and the diametrical dimension and curvature of the dial adjacent its outer periphery preferably is such as to provide at said portion a finger grip which may be engaged at spaced points by the thumb and fingers of one hand and easily rotated by such hand to the desired position of adjustment.

The .chassis may be mounted in the body by anysuitable means, but the means about to be described is believed to be particularly simple and efficient. The base 89 of the body may accommodate any number of attaching elements such as the three screws 8| arranged in a preferably triangular formation and engaged with lugs 82 on the chassis. Ribs d4 may be formed on the base 80 to afford lateral protection for the heads 85 of the screws, and said heads are preferably covered by felt, rubber or other suitable yieldable means 86 forming yieldable feet for engaging a support without marring the same, said feet projecting below the ribs 84. When the cover I4 is out of the way, as will appear hereinafter, the entire chassis may be removed simply upon withdrawal of the screws 3D and the depression of the plungers to clear the wall of the opening I9 in which they normally extend.

During insertion of the chassis, the plungers 20 may be reached by the fingers or a tool through the opening 24 in the body flange 23 and thereby depressed sufficiently to enable them vide a generally semi-circular forward end 51.

to pass forward into the opening 9, or they may be reached through said opening |9 for that purpose.

The rear of the body I I is preferably fully open as at and the cover I4 is correspondingly shaped to iit therein as shown in Fig. 2, the outer surface 9| of the cover being preferably substantially flush with the rear edge 92 of said body I I. The base .89 of the body is preferably rabbeted as shown at 94 and the bottom of the cover I4 correspondly formed so that the cover may be supported by said base while the cover is permitted to have a substantially pivotal or rocking movement. The inner side of the cover I4 is provided with a lug 96 to which an end of a spring 91 is connected, and the chassis I5 has an opening 96 through which the other end of the spring is removably inserted so as to be hooked to the chassis as shown in Fig. 2. When the spring is thus connected to the chassis and cover, it is under tension and therefore yieldably maintains the -cover in closed position.

A space |09 between the upper part of the cover and the body is provided for the insertion of a finger nail or a prying tool IUI which, when turned in the direction of the arrow |92, will swing the door I4 rearwardly open about its bottom as a pivot, further tensioning the spring 91. The pull by the spring 91 is preferably relatively weak, so that, without undue exertion, the cover may be opened sufficiently to enable one to insert a hand and release the spring 91 from the chassis, to enable the cover to be completely withdrawn. The cover mai7 be moved readily into place simply by connecting the spring 91 to the chassis and maneuvering the cover until it is in the position shown in Fig. 2. Of course, it .may Vnot be absolutely necessary to remove the cover in order to remove the chassis, but it is advisable especially inasmuch as the spring 91 is released from and attached to the chassis very easily.

The body II, dial I2, button I3 and cover I4 may be madeV of any suitable material, such as a resinous, plastic or phenolic condensation product molded to the desired shapes, and in such event the bushings 36 and 4| may be preferably made of metal forreinforcement.

Various changes coming within the spirit of the invention may be suggested by those skilled in the art, and hence we do not wish to be limited to the specific forms shown or uses mentioned, except to-the extent indicated by the appended claims, which are to be interpreted as broadly as the state of the art will permit.

We claim:

1. A radio cabinet comprising a casing having an opening extending from the bottom wall to the top wall thereof and from one upstanding wall to the opposite upstanding wall, a part stationary relative to said casing, the edge surfaces of -all of said walls bounding said opening extending transverse to said casing, one of said walls being rabbeted at said opening, and a cover shaped substantially in conformity with said opening and having a a rabbeted portion interfittedl with the aforesaid rabbeted portion to enable said cover to have a pivotal movement relative tosaid casing, the exterior surface of said cover when properly positioned in said opening being flush with the adjoining edges of said casing, whereby said Acover is -shielded edgewise by said walls, a spr-ing connected to the inner side of said cover andl detachably hooked to said Vpart for yieldably retaining said cover in said position, there being an opening between said casing and said cover to enable a prying tool to be disposed therein for prying said cover open against the resistance of said spring, said cover being adapted to be opened sufciently to enable the operators fingers to be inserted into the casing and to grasp said spring and unhook said spring from said part, whereby said cover may be entirely removed to enable a radio chassis in the casing to be removed therefrom and inserted thereinto Without any interference whatever from said cover.

2. A radio cabinet comprising a casing having an opening extending from the bottom wall to the top wall thereof and from one upstanding Wall to the opposite upstanding Wall, a part stationary relative to said casing, the edge surfaces of all of said Walls bounding said opening extending transverse to said casing, one of said Walls being rabbeted at saidy opening, and a cover shaped substantially in conformity with said opening and having a rabbeted portion interfitted with the aforesaid rabbeted portion to enable said cover to have a pivotal movement relative to said casing, a spring connected to the inner side 0i said cover and detachably hooked to said part for yieldably retaining said cover in said position, said cover being adapted to be opened sufliciently to enable the operators fingers to be inserted into the casing andto grasp said spring and unhook said spring from said part, whereby said cover may be entirely removed to enable a radio chassis in the casing to be removed therefrom and inserted thereinto Without any interference whatever from said cover.

ALONSON A. SCRIVE-N. MAX B. ROBBINS. 

